KR20200141681A - Radar apparatus and antenna apparatus therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a radar device and to an antenna device therefor. Specifically, the radar device comprises: two or more first transmission antennas installed at the rear or front side of a vehicle and having a plurality of array antennas spaced apart in a horizontal direction; a transmission antenna unit disposed between the two or more first transmission antennas and including a second transmission antenna having one array antenna; an antenna unit including a reception antenna unit including one or more reception antennas; and a signal processing unit transmitting a signal through the transmission antenna unit, receiving a reflection signal in which the transmitted signal is reflected on the object through the reception antenna, and processing the received reflection signal to obtain information on the object. Two or more of the first transmission antennas are tilted toward a driving axis of the vehicle at a position where the radar device is installed.

Description

Radar device and antenna device therefor TECHNICAL FIELD [RADAR APPARATUS AND ANTENNA APPARATUS THEREFOR}

The present disclosure relates to a radar device and an antenna device therefor. More specifically, it relates to a technology for accurately obtaining information on an object located at various distances.

Vehicle radar devices are installed on vehicles and used in technology to assist vehicle operation. In recent years, as research on autonomous driving technology is progressing, technology for increasing the accuracy of recognition of the surrounding environment of a vehicle is being developed. Vehicle radar devices are mounted at various locations on the vehicle to precisely detect objects present in the vehicle's surrounding environment. For example, by installing a vehicle radar device at a location such as a front or rear or a corner (front right, front left, rear right, rear left) of the vehicle, information on objects existing in the surrounding environment of the vehicle and the like is obtained.

Among them, a corner radar mounted on a corner of a vehicle is being used for a blind spot detection (BSD) function that gives a warning through detection of an object in a blind spot. As the functions required for fully autonomous driving technology are gradually diversified, the performance required for corner radar is gradually increasing. In particular, in order to secure stable performance in implementing a vehicle lane change function, etc., accurate detection of objects existing in a short distance and a long distance in the surrounding and driving direction of the vehicle is required.

Against this background, the present disclosure is to propose an antenna device for forming a long-distance detection and a wide short-range detection range for a driving direction of a vehicle, and a radar device including the same.

In order to achieve the above object, in one aspect, the present disclosure is installed in the rear or front side of the vehicle, two or more first transmission antennas having a plurality of array antennas spaced apart in a horizontal direction, and two or more first In the first detection mode and the second detection mode, a transmission antenna unit including a second transmission antenna disposed between the transmission antennas and having a second transmission antenna, and a reception antenna unit including one or more reception antennas. , A signal processing unit that transmits a signal through a transmission antenna unit, receives a reflected signal from which the transmitted signal is reflected on an object through a reception antenna, and processes the received reflected signal to obtain information on the object, and two or more The first transmission antenna provides a radar device, characterized in that the radar device is tilted toward the driving axis of the vehicle at the installed position.

In another aspect, the present disclosure is used in a radar device and installed in the rear or front side of a vehicle, and between two or more first transmission antenna units having a plurality of array antennas spaced apart in a horizontal direction, and between two or more first transmission antennas. And a transmission antenna unit including a second transmission antenna disposed at and having one array antenna, and a reception antenna unit including one or more reception antennas, and the at least two first transmission antennas of the vehicle at the position where the radar device is installed. It provides an antenna device, characterized in that it is tilted toward the traveling axis.

As described above, according to the present disclosure, it is possible to assist the driver's driving by accurately recognizing the nearby surrounding environment of the vehicle and the remote surrounding environment in the driving direction.

In addition, according to the present disclosure, horizontal information and vertical information on an object may be obtained with high resolution.

1 shows an example of a general radar device having multiple antennas.
2 is a schematic block diagram of a radar device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an antenna unit or an area sensed by an antenna device when a radar device according to an exemplary embodiment is mounted on a vehicle.
4 is a diagram illustrating an antenna unit or an area sensed by an antenna device when a radar device according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is mounted on a vehicle.
5 and 6 illustrate an arrangement of a plurality of transmitting antennas and a plurality of receiving antennas of an antenna unit included in a radar device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
7 is a diagram illustrating signal timing in a case of detecting an object existing in a medium/long distance using a radar device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an equivalent state of a transmission/reception antenna in a medium/long-range sensing mode when detecting horizontal (Azimuth) information using a radar device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.
9 is a diagram illustrating an equivalent state of a transmission/reception antenna in a medium/long-range sensing mode when detecting vertical information using a radar device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating signal timing when detecting an object existing in a short distance using a radar device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.
11 is a diagram illustrating an equivalent state of a transmission/reception antenna in a case of detecting an object existing in a short distance using a radar device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to exemplary drawings. In adding reference numerals to elements of each drawing, the same elements may have the same numerals as possible even if they are indicated on different drawings. In addition, in describing the present disclosure, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known configuration or function may obscure the subject matter of the present disclosure, a detailed description thereof may be omitted.

In addition, some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail through exemplary drawings. In describing the constituent elements of the present disclosure, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), and (b) may be used. These terms are only used to distinguish the component from other components, and the nature, order, or order of the component is not limited by the term. When a component is described as being "connected", "coupled" or "connected" to another component, the component may be directly connected or connected to that other component, but another component between each component It should be understood that elements may be “connected”, “coupled” or “connected”.

A vehicle in the present specification may be a concept including an automobile, a motorcycle, and the like. In addition, the vehicle may be a concept including both an internal combustion engine vehicle having an engine as a power source, a hybrid vehicle including an engine and an electric motor as a power source, an electric vehicle including an electric motor as a power source, and the like. Hereinafter, the vehicle will be mainly described.

In the following description, the front means the forward driving direction of the vehicle, and the rear means the reverse driving direction of the vehicle. Further, the left side of the vehicle means the left side in the forward driving direction of the vehicle, and the right side of the vehicle means the right side in the forward driving direction of the vehicle. In addition, the rear side of the vehicle means the left or the right side based on the reverse driving direction of the vehicle. In addition, the driving direction of the vehicle is a direction perpendicular to the lateral axis of the vehicle, indicating a longitudinal direction with respect to the vehicle.

Meanwhile, the radar device used in the present disclosure may include at least one radar sensor unit, for example, one or more of lateral detection radar sensors mounted on each side of the vehicle. Such a radar device (or radar sensor) processes data by analyzing a transmission signal and a reception signal, and accordingly, may detect information on an object, and may include an electronic control unit (ECU) or a processor for this. Data transmission or signal communication from the radar sensor to the ECU may use a communication link such as a suitable vehicle network bus.

Such a radar device includes at least one transmitting antenna for transmitting a radar signal and at least one receiving antenna for receiving a reflected signal reflected from an object. Meanwhile, the radar apparatus according to the present embodiment may employ a multidimensional antenna array and a signal transmission/reception method of multiple input multiple outputs in order to form a virtual antenna aperture larger than an actual antenna aperture.

In addition, in another embodiment, the antenna of the radar device is arranged as a two-dimensional antenna array, for example, since each antenna patch has a Rhombus grating arrangement, unnecessary side lobes can be reduced.

Alternatively, the 2D antenna array may include a V-shape antenna array in which a plurality of radiation patches are arranged in a V-shape, and more specifically, may include two V-shaped antenna arrays. At this time, a single feed is made to the apex of each V-shaped antenna array.

Alternatively, the 2D antenna array may include an X-shape antenna array in which a plurality of radiation patches are arranged in an X shape, and more specifically, may include two X-shaped antenna arrays. At this time, a single feed is made to the center of each X-shaped antenna array.

In addition, the radar apparatus according to the present embodiment may use a MIMO antenna system in order to implement detection accuracy or resolution in vertical and horizontal directions.

More specifically, in the MIMO system, each transmit antenna may transmit a signal having an independent waveform that is distinguished from each other. That is, each transmit antenna transmits a signal of an independent waveform that is distinct from other transmit antennas, and each receive antenna can determine from which transmit antenna the reflected signal reflected from the object is transmitted due to the different waveforms of these signals. have.

In addition, the radar device according to the present embodiment may include a radar housing including a substrate including a transmission/reception antenna and a circuit, and a radome constituting the exterior of the radar housing. In this case, the radome is composed of a material capable of reducing attenuation of transmitted and received radar signals, and the radome may be composed of a front and rear bumper, a grill, a side body, or an outer surface of a vehicle component.

That is, the radome of the radar device may be disposed inside the vehicle grille, bumper, body, etc., or as part of the parts constituting the exterior surface of the vehicle such as the vehicle grille, bumper, and part of the body, thereby improving the aesthetics of the vehicle It can provide convenience of mounting a radar device.

1 shows an example of a general radar device having multiple antennas.

The radar device as shown in FIG. 1A has an antenna structure in which two transmission antennas Tx0 and Tx1 are disposed in the same direction at the top, and four receiving antennas Rx0 to Rx3 are disposed at the bottom in the same direction. At the time of signal transmission, one transmission antenna is selected by the first switching unit SW1 to transmit a transmission signal. The received signal reflected from the object is received by one receiving antenna switched by the second switching unit SW2. The signal processing unit (DSP) amplifies the received reflected signal and compares it with the transmitted signal to measure the change in phase, change in magnitude, and frequency shift, thereby measuring the distance to the object and the relative speed of the object. Etc. can be measured. In FIG. 1A, each antenna is composed of one row of array antennas.

1B is an example of another type of multi-antenna radar device, in which one transmitting antenna (Tx0), a plurality of receiving antennas (Rx0 to Rx2), and one transmitting and receiving antenna (Rx3/Tx1) are spaced apart, and each antenna In this state, at the time of signal transmission, one of the transmission antenna Tx0 and the transmission/reception combined antenna Rx3/Tx1 is selected by the first switching unit SW1 to transmit the transmission signal. The received signal reflected from the object is received by one receiving antenna selected by the second switching unit SW2 among the plurality of receiving antennas Rx0 to Rx2 and one transmitting/receiving antenna Rx3/Tx1. The signal processing unit (DSP) amplifies the received reflected signal and compares it with the transmitted signal to measure the change in phase, change in magnitude, and frequency shift, thereby measuring the distance to the object and the relative speed of the object. Etc. can be measured.

The radar device having the antenna structure as shown in FIG. 1 has a disadvantage in that it is difficult to maintain sufficient resolution or angular resolution in both detections, even if it is capable of detecting mid/long-range and short-range detection. Furthermore, since the radar device having an antenna structure as shown in FIG. 1 is installed so as to look obliquely with respect to the driving direction of the vehicle or the vehicle when it is mounted in the corner of the vehicle, when performing detection of an object existing in a medium/long distance There is a disadvantage in that the sensing performance for an area corresponding to the driving direction of the vehicle is poor. That is, when the radar device is mounted on the front side or the rear side of the vehicle, when detecting an object in the mid/long range area, the mid/long range detection performance for the driving direction of the vehicle is excellent due to the mounting location characteristic of the radar device. Not.

Accordingly, in the present disclosure, the radar device tilts the transmission antenna for detecting the mid/long-range area toward the driving axis of the vehicle, so that the mid/long-range detection area is parallel to the driving axis of the vehicle, thereby detecting the blind spot of the vehicle. It suggests ways to improve. In addition, in the present disclosure, one of the plurality of transmission antennas is spaced apart from the other transmission antennas by a certain vertical distance in a vertical direction (a direction perpendicular to the ground), and a transmission signal is simultaneously transmitted from two transmission antennas separated in the vertical direction. , A method for obtaining horizontal information and vertical information of an object with high resolution in both a mid-long-range detection mode and a short-range detection mode by using reflected signals received from a plurality of receiving antennas is proposed.

2 is a block diagram of a radar (RADAR) device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2, a radar (RADAR) device 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a radar device installed in the rear or front side of the vehicle, and includes a plurality of transmitting antennas and a plurality of receiving antennas An antenna unit 110 that transmits a transmission signal through the antenna unit 110, receives a received signal reflected from the object, and processes the received signal to obtain information on the object. Include. Such radar devices are also referred to as radar sensors.

The antenna unit 110 of the radar apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes three transmission channels (transmission antennas) and four reception channels (reception antennas). This is for description of the present disclosure, and is not limited thereto.

Specifically, the antenna unit 110 includes a transmission antenna unit including two first transmission antennas and a second transmission antenna disposed between the two first transmission antennas, and a reception antenna unit including one or more reception antennas. Here, the two first transmission antennas have a plurality of array antennas and are spaced apart in a horizontal direction, and the second transmission antenna has one array antenna. At least one receiving antenna includes a first receiving antenna, a second receiving antenna, a third receiving antenna, and a fourth receiving antenna, and are sequentially spaced apart in a horizontal direction.

In the present disclosure, the two first transmission antennas are tilted toward the driving axis of the vehicle at the position where the radar device is installed. Here, the driving axis of the vehicle at the position where the radar device is installed is a straight line parallel to the driving center axis of the vehicle perpendicular to the lateral direction of the vehicle or the longitudinal center axis of the vehicle, and the transverse direction of the vehicle at the position where the radar device is installed. It is a straight line perpendicular to

The signal processing unit 120 of the radar device of the present disclosure may implement a detection mode including a first detection mode corresponding to a medium/long-range detection mode and a second detection mode corresponding to a short-range detection mode, in each detection mode. A signal is transmitted through a transmission antenna unit, a reflected signal in which the transmitted signal is reflected on an object is received through a reception antenna, and information on the object is obtained by processing the received reflected signal.

Referring to FIG. 2, the signal processing unit 120 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention efficiently distributes signal processing requiring a large amount of computation to the first processing unit and the second processing unit, thereby reducing cost and simultaneously reducing hardware size. Allows to be reduced.

The first processing unit included in the signal processing unit 120, as a pre-processor for the second processing unit, obtains transmission data and reception data, and generates a transmission signal in the oscillation unit based on the obtained transmission data. It can control, synchronize transmission data and reception data, and frequency conversion of transmission data and reception data.

The second processing unit is a post-processor that performs actual processing using the processing result of the first processing unit, and based on the frequency-converted received data in the first processing unit, CFAR (Constant False Alarm Rate) calculation and tracking ( Tracking) operation and target selection operation, etc. can be performed, and angle information, speed information, and distance information about the target can be extracted.

The above-described first processing unit may perform frequency conversion after data buffering of the acquired transmission data and the acquired reception data in a unit sample size that can be processed per cycle. The frequency transformation performed by the above-described first processing unit may use a Fourier transform such as a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT).

The above-described second processing unit may perform a second Fourier transform on a first Fourier transform (FFT) signal made by the first processing unit, and the second Fourier transform is, for example, a discrete Fourier transform (DFT). Transform, hereinafter referred to as "DFT"). In addition, among DFT, it may be a Chirp-Discrete Fourier Transform (Chirp-DFT).

The second processing unit obtains frequency values corresponding to the number of second Fourier transform lengths (K) through a second Fourier transform such as Chirp-DFT, and performs simulation during each chirp period based on the obtained frequency values. An object can be detected by calculating a beat frequency having a large power and obtaining speed information and distance information of the object based on the calculated beat frequency.

On the other hand, having the antenna unit structure as shown in Fig. 5 or 6 included in the radar apparatus according to the present invention, the signal processing unit 120 acquires vertical direction information and horizontal direction information of the object in the mid-long range detection mode and the short range detection mode. In order to do so, a certain signal transmission/reception method and an information acquisition method using the same must be implemented, which will be described in more detail below.

In addition, the signal processing unit 120 includes an oscillator that generates a transmission signal for one transmission channel allocated to a transmission antenna or a multi transmission channel allocated to a plurality of transmission antennas. As an example, the oscillator may include a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) and an oscillator.

The signal processing unit 120 includes a low noise amplifier (LNA) for low-noise amplification of the reflected signal received through four reception antennas (that is, four reception channels), and a mixing unit for mixing the low-noise amplified reception signal. (Mixer), an amplifier for amplifying the mixed received signal, and a converter (ADC: Analog Digital Converter) for generating received data by digitally converting the amplified received signal.

The antenna unit 110 included in the radar apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of transmission antennas and a plurality of reception antennas, and each of the transmission antenna and the reception antenna includes a plurality of transmission/reception elements. It may be an array antenna connected in series by a transmission line, but is not limited thereto.

However, each of the antennas used in the present invention extends to have a certain direction, and the extension direction in this case refers to a direction in which the antenna is extended with respect to a transmission port connected to the signal processing unit 120.

The radar device of the present disclosure is a radar device mounted at a corner of a vehicle, for example, in the front side or rear side of the vehicle, and an area detected by the radar device of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. 3 and 4 are views illustrating an antenna unit or an area sensed by an antenna device when a radar device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is mounted on a vehicle.

Referring to Fig. 3, the radar device is mounted on the right side of the front of the vehicle. When the second detection mode corresponding to the short-range detection mode is executed in the radar apparatus of the present disclosure, a signal is transmitted using the second transmission antenna. Since the second transmission antenna is a one-row array antenna, it can detect area B, which is a wide area in the front right of the vehicle.

Meanwhile, when the first detection mode corresponding to the medium/long-range detection mode is executed in the radar apparatus of the present disclosure, a signal is transmitted using the first transmission antenna. Since the first transmission antenna has a plurality of antenna arrays, the width is narrow, but it can be detected even at a long distance. In particular, the first transmission antenna of the radar device of the present disclosure is tilted toward the driving axis of the vehicle at the position where the radar device is installed. Here, the driving axis of the vehicle at the position where the radar device is installed is a straight line 320 parallel to the driving center axis of the vehicle or the longitudinal center axis 310 of the vehicle, with respect to the lateral direction of the vehicle at the position where the radar device is mounted. It is a vertical straight line 320.

The first transmission antenna of the present disclosure is mounted at a corner of the vehicle, but is tilted toward the front of the vehicle, and thus, it is possible to detect a distant blind spot in a driving lane or a driving direction of the vehicle. Accordingly, it is possible to secure stable performance in implementing a driver assistance system, for example, a vehicle lane change function.

In FIG. 3, the radar device of the present disclosure has been described as being mounted on the front right side of the vehicle, but the mounting position is not limited thereto as long as short-range detection at the corner of the vehicle and long-range detection in the front of the vehicle are possible. For example, the radar device may be mounted on the front left side of the vehicle, and in this case, the radar device may detect an area around the front left lane of the vehicle in a medium/long-range detection mode.

4, the radar device is mounted on the left side of the rear of the vehicle. When the second detection mode corresponding to the short-range detection mode is executed in the radar apparatus of the present disclosure, a signal is transmitted using the second transmission antenna. Since the second transmission antenna is a one-row array antenna, it can detect area B, which is a wide area in the front right of the vehicle.

Meanwhile, when the first detection mode corresponding to the medium/long-range detection mode is executed in the radar apparatus of the present disclosure, a signal is transmitted using the first transmission antenna. Since the first transmission antenna has a plurality of antenna arrays, the width is narrow, but it can be detected even at a long distance. The first transmission antenna of the radar device of the present disclosure is tilted toward the driving axis of the vehicle, particularly at the position where the radar device is installed. Here, the driving axis of the vehicle at the position where the radar device is installed is a straight line 320 parallel to the driving center axis of the vehicle or the longitudinal center axis 310 of the vehicle, with respect to the lateral direction of the vehicle at the position where the radar device is mounted. It is a vertical straight line 320.

Since the first transmission antenna of the present disclosure is mounted at a corner of the vehicle but is tilted toward the rear of the vehicle, it is possible to detect a distant blind spot in a driving lane or a driving direction behind the vehicle. Accordingly, it is possible to secure stable performance in implementing a driver assistance system, for example, a vehicle lane change function.

In FIG. 4, the radar device of the present disclosure has been described as being mounted on the rear left side of the vehicle, but the mounting position is not limited thereto as long as short-range detection at the corner of the vehicle and remote detection at the rear of the vehicle are possible. For example, the radar device may be mounted on the rear right side of the vehicle, and in this case, the radar device can detect an area around the rear right lane of the vehicle in a medium/long-range detection mode.

5 and 6 illustrate an example of an arrangement configuration of a plurality of transmit antennas and a plurality of receive antennas included in an antenna unit included in the radar apparatus of the present disclosure.

Meanwhile, in the present disclosure, the two first transmission antennas are tilted toward the driving axis of the vehicle at the position where the radar device is installed as described above.

In the antenna structure shown in FIG. 5, the receiving antenna unit includes a total of four receiving antennas, and a first receiving antenna (Rx0), a second receiving antenna (Rx1), a third receiving antenna (Rx2), and a fourth receiving antenna (Rx3). ) Are sequentially spaced apart in the horizontal direction.

In one embodiment, the signal transmitted from the first transmission antenna is reflected by the object, and the reception antenna (e.g., Rx0, Rx2, Rx3) receiving the reflected signal is similar to the first transmission antenna at a position where the radar device is installed. May be tilted toward the driving axis of the vehicle.

In one embodiment, the first receiving antenna (Rx0) and the fourth receiving antenna (Rx3) are spaced apart from the third receiving antenna (Rx2) by a first horizontal distance A, respectively.

In one embodiment, the first to fourth receiving antennas Rx0 to Rx3 may be configured with one array antenna. Of course, each receiving antenna may be composed of a larger number of array antennas instead of one array antenna as above.

In addition, the transmission antenna unit may include a total of three transmission antennas. Specifically, it includes a 1-1 transmission antenna (Tx0) and a transmission antenna (Tx2), which are four array antennas, and a second transmission antenna (Tx1), which is one array antenna.

In one embodiment, the 1-1 transmission antenna Tx0 and the 1-2 transmission antenna Tx2 may be spaced apart from each other by a second horizontal distance 2A, which is twice the first horizontal distance in the horizontal direction.

The 1-1 transmission antenna (Tx0) and the 1-2 transmission antenna (Tx2) are configured such that 4 array antennas are connected to the same feed line to transmit transmission signals at the same time, but it is not necessary to consist of 4 array antennas. No, it can be composed of one or more array antennas depending on the desired resolution and resolution.

In general, as the aperture of the transmission antenna increases, the transmission beam becomes sharper and the straightness increases.Therefore, the number of array antennas of the 1-1 transmission antenna (Tx0) and the 1-2 transmission antenna (Tx2) used in the medium and long range detection mode By making it to 4, it is possible to further improve the straightness of the transmission signal and the sensing distance.

In addition, the 1-2 transmission antenna Tx1 does not necessarily need to be composed of one array antenna, but may be composed of one or more array antennas.

In one embodiment, the second receiving antenna Rx1 and the third receiving antenna Rx2 are disposed to be spaced apart by a half distance (0.5λ) of the wavelength of the transmission signal in the horizontal direction. In addition, a distance between the four array antennas constituting each of the first transmission antennas may also be arranged to be spaced apart by a half distance (0.5λ) of the wavelength of the transmission signal. In this way, by setting the horizontal distance between the second receiving antenna (Rx1) and the third receiving antenna (Rx2) to a half distance (0.5λ) of the wavelength of the transmission signal, the angle is unclear due to the grating lobe. (Angle Ambiguity) has the effect of eliminating. That is, when the distance between the receiving antennas is more than 1/2 the distance (0.5λ) of the wavelength of the transmission signal, a grating lobe may occur. The horizontal distance between the second receiving antenna Rx1 and the third receiving antenna Rx2 By arranging at 0.5λ and compensating by comparing the angle information extracted from the two channels, angular uncertainty due to the grating lobe can be minimized.

In one embodiment, in the antenna unit of the radar apparatus of the present disclosure, two transmission antennas that simultaneously transmit transmission signals by code division, namely, a 1-1 transmission antenna (Tx0) and a 1-2 transmission antenna (Tx2) The horizontal distance (2A) between the two receiving antennas at the most both sides of the four receiving antennas constituting the receiving antenna unit, that is, the horizontal distance between the first receiving antenna (Rx0) and the fourth receiving antenna (Rx3) (2A) Place the same as ).

According to this arrangement, as will be described below, the entire aperture of the entire reception antenna including the virtual reception antenna formed in the reception antenna unit according to the code division transmission and the intrinsic reception antenna, which is an actual reception antenna, is expanded. It is possible to improve the resolution or resolution of horizontal direction information in the medium and long-distance detection mode. The formation of the virtual reception antenna and the resulting aperture expansion effect will be described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9.

In addition, the horizontal distance 2A between the 1-1 transmission antenna (Tx0) and the 1-2 transmission antenna (Tx2) that transmits signals by code division is determined between the first reception antenna (Rx0) and the fourth reception antenna (Rx3). By making it the same as 2A, which is the horizontal distance of, it is possible to improve the detection performance of the radar by keeping the transmission beam sharp.

In addition, by having the above antenna array configuration, by forming a grating lobe that adversely affects the performance of the antenna away from the position of the main beam or the main lobe, the horizontal sensing resolution or It is possible to improve the horizontal resolution.

6 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of a plurality of transmission antennas and a plurality of reception antennas of an antenna unit included in a radar device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

In one embodiment, the antenna unit 110 of the present disclosure is disposed at the same vertical position as any one of two first transmission antennas and first transmission antennas spaced apart by a first vertical distance B in a direction perpendicular to the ground. A transmission antenna unit including a second transmission antenna, and a reception antenna unit including one or more reception antennas (e.g., Rx0, Rx1, Rx2, Rx3 in FIG. 6) disposed at the same vertical position as any one of the first transmission antennas. It can be configured to include.

Meanwhile, in the present disclosure, the two first transmission antennas are tilted toward the driving axis of the vehicle at the position where the radar device is installed as described above.

In one embodiment, the signal transmitted from the first transmission antenna is reflected by the object, and the reception antenna (e.g., Rx0, Rx2, Rx3) receiving the reflected signal is similar to the first transmission antenna at a position where the radar device is installed. May be tilted toward the driving axis of the vehicle.

Referring to FIG. 6, in an embodiment, the transmission antenna unit is a 1-1 transmission antenna (Tx0) and a second transmission antenna (Tx1) having the same vertical position as the reception antennas, and the 1-1 transmission antenna. It may include a 1-2 transmission antenna (Tx) spaced apart by a predetermined first vertical distance B in the direction. In addition, the reception antenna unit includes one or more reception antennas disposed at the same vertical position as the 1-1 transmission antenna Tx0.

That is, the 1-2 transmission antenna (Tx) is spaced apart from the 1-1 transmission antenna (Tx0) and the second transmission antenna (Tx1) by the first vertical distance B in the first direction. In this way, by arranging at least two of the transmission antennas constituting the transmission antenna unit in a vertical direction perpendicular to the ground by a predetermined distance (vertical distance) apart, it is possible to accurately measure elevation information of the object. In this case, the vertical distance B may be determined in consideration of the frequency of the transmission signal or the measurement precision of the vertical direction information of the object.

In one embodiment, the radar device of this embodiment transmits a code-divided transmission signal from the 1-1 transmission antenna (Tx0) and the 1-2 transmission antenna (Tx2) in the first detection mode for medium/long range detection, and , The reflection signal is received from the first receiving antenna (Rx0), the third receiving antenna (Rx2), and the fourth receiving antenna (Rx3) included in the receiving antenna unit, and in the second detecting mode for short-range sensing, the second transmitting antenna Transmits a transmission signal through (Tx1), and receives reflected signals from all reception antennas included in the reception antenna unit.

The signal processing unit 120 of this embodiment calculates the location information of the object by processing the transmission signal and the reception signal, and more specifically, in the 1-1 transmission antenna (Tx0) and the 1-2 transmission antenna (Tx2). The vertical angle, such as the elevation angle, of the object, is used by using the code-divided transmission signal and the received signal received from the first receiving antenna (Rx0), the third receiving antenna (Rx2), and the fourth receiving antenna (Rx3). It is possible to obtain information and medium- to long-distance horizontal information such as an azimuth angle of an object in the mid- to long-distance.

In one embodiment, the signal processing unit 120 uses a transmission signal transmitted through a single second transmission antenna (Tx) and a reception signal received from both the reception antenna, such as an azimuth angle of a nearby object. You can acquire near-distance horizontal information.

7 and 8 are a case for detecting horizontal (Azimuth) information using the radar device according to the present embodiment, in particular, a signal timing diagram (FIG. 7) in a medium/long-range detection mode, and a transmission/reception antenna in that case It is an equivalent state diagram of (Fig. 8).

In order to measure the horizontal information of the object in the medium and long distance with the radar according to the present invention, in the transmission mode, the code-divided transmission signal is simultaneously transmitted by the 1-1 transmission antenna (Tx0) and the 1-2 transmission antenna (Tx2). do. On the other hand, in the reception mode in which the signal reflected from the object is received, horizontal information of the medium and long-distance object is performed using information received from all of the first, third, and fourth reception antennas Rx0, Rx2, and Rx3 included in the reception antenna unit Get

In the following specification, a total of three transmission antennas (Tx0, Tx1, Tx2) included in the transmission antenna unit are expressed as a transmission channel, and a total of four reception antennas included in the 1/2 reception antenna group (Rx1, Rx , Rx3, Rx4) each is expressed as a receiving channel.

Accordingly, the radar apparatus according to the present invention uses two transmission channels and three reception channels to acquire horizontal information in a medium-long-range detection mode, but in the transmission mode, the 1-1 transmission antenna (Tx0) of the two transmission channels And the transmission signal is divided into code division and transmitted in the 1-2 transmission antenna (Tx2), and in the reception mode, all information received through three reception channels (i.e., three channels of Rx, Rx2, and Rx3) is used. .

As shown in FIG. 7, the 1-1 transmission antenna (Tx0) and the 1-2 transmission antenna (Tx2) are turned ON for a certain period within one detection period (0 to T) to have a first code (Code A). The transmission signal and the transmission signal having the second code (Code B) are simultaneously transmitted. Meanwhile, during the same detection period, all three reception antennas Rx0, Rx2, and Rx3 receive signals, and by analyzing the received reception signals, horizontal information (width, etc.) of an object in a medium or long distance is obtained.

The equivalent state diagram of FIG. 8 shows the arrangement of the reception antennas when two transmission antenna channels for code division transmission are fixed as one, and the degree of aperture of the radar device can be checked. In FIG. 8, the position of the first transmission antennas Tx0 and Tx2 has the same vertical height with respect to the ground.

At this time, since the 1-1 transmission antenna (Tx0) and the 1-2 transmission antenna (Tx2) through which the code-divided transmission signal is transmitted are spaced apart by 2A in the horizontal direction, the reflected signal reflected from the object is received. From the standpoint of the receiving antenna, the signal has the same type, but has the same effect as the reflected signal divided into the first code and the second code is spatially shifted by 2A in the horizontal direction to be received.

In this case, as a concept that is distinguished from an actual reception antenna, a reception antenna that is virtually present due to horizontal separation of a transmission antenna that simultaneously transmits a signal may be expressed as a virtual RX antenna.

8, the first receiving antenna (Rx0), the third receiving antenna (Rx2), and the fourth receiving antenna (Rx3) are actually present among the receiving antennas of the receiving end, based on the 1-1 transmitting antenna (Tx0). It becomes a real antenna, which is a receiving antenna. In addition, since the 1-1 transmission antenna (Tx0) and the 1-2 transmission antenna (Tx2) are separated by a horizontal distance of 2A, a total of 3 having the same arrangement as the intrinsic reception antenna at a location separated by 2A from the intrinsic reception antenna. A first virtual reception antenna (Rx0'), a second virtual reception antenna (Rx2'), and a third virtual reception antenna (Rx3') are generated. As a result, the formation position of the first virtual reception antenna is disposed to accurately overlap the position of the fourth reception antenna Rx3. In FIG. 8, an actual reception antenna is indicated by a solid line and a virtual reception antenna is indicated by a dotted line.

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 8, from the left side, the first intrinsic receiving antenna (RX0), the second intrinsic receiving antenna (Rx2), the third intrinsic receiving antenna (Rx3), and the first virtual receiving antenna (Rx0' overlapped therewith) are ), the second virtual reception antenna (Rx2'), and the third virtual reception antenna (Rx3') are sequentially arranged, and the horizontal distance between the intrinsic/receiving antennas is equally arranged as A. As a result, the total opening of the receiving end, that is, the horizontal distance between the first receiving antenna Rx0 disposed at one end of the receiving end and the third virtual receiving antenna Rx3’ disposed at the other end is 4A. Accordingly, when the radar device as in the present invention is used, the entire aperture of the receiving end is expanded to 4A, and accordingly, the resolution or resolution for horizontal direction information in the mid- to long-range sensing mode can be improved.

In general, a radar device performs an object detection function that detects the distance to the object, the speed and the orientation of the object by using received signals received through a plurality of reception antennas. In this case, in order to increase the accuracy of object detection ( That is, in order to increase the resolution), it is desirable to have an antenna structure having an "expanded aperture structure" that increases the distance between the receiving antennas. That is, the distance between one end and the other end of the receiving antenna becomes an opening. Enlarging the receiving antenna opening to have an extended aperture performance is one of the very important performance factors of a radar device.

In this way, by having the antenna structure of the extended aperture structure, the location where the grating lobe occurs at the receiving end is closer to the center location where the main beam is located. Therefore, in the radar device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the position where the grating lobe is generated is away from the center position where the main beam is located, that is, the grating lobe. A "virtual aperture structure" or a "virtual antenna structure" is provided so as to suppress the error.

In this way, in order to have a virtual antenna structure, as shown in FIG. 2, the radar device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a virtual reception antenna 130 that controls a plurality of virtual reception antennas to be formed. It may contain more. As described above, the virtual reception antenna 130 may perform signal processing for generating a signal having a predetermined phase difference that can be determined according to a reception antenna interval based on a signal received by an actual reception antenna. .

That is, the virtual reception antenna 130 generates a virtual signal (a phase difference based on the actually received signal), as if a signal was received through a virtual reception antenna that is virtually arranged at a position where the actual reception antenna is not arranged. It is to perform signal processing to produce the signal).

In the present specification, "that a virtual reception antenna is formed" may have the same meaning as "that a reception signal that is not actually received is created". In this sense, the arrangement structure (interval, number, etc.) of the virtual reception antennas may have the same meaning as the structure (interval, number, etc.) in which received signals that are not actually received are created. With the virtual reception antenna 130, not only a plurality of reception antennas actually exist at the reception end, but also a reception terminal antenna structure in which a plurality of virtual reception antennas virtually exist may be provided. As described above, an antenna structure in which a plurality of virtual reception antennas are virtually present at the receiving end may be referred to as “an antenna structure having a virtual aperture structure”.

As described above, in order to obtain horizontal direction information in the medium and long-range sensing mode, the signal processing unit 120 of the radar device according to the present invention includes the 1-1 transmission antenna Tx0 and 1-2 The first receiving antenna, the third receiving antenna, the fourth receiving antenna (or the first virtual receiving antenna), and the second receiving antenna are sequentially spaced apart by a horizontal distance A by simultaneously transmitting the code-divided transmission signal from the transmitting antenna (Tx2). By using the signals received from the virtual reception antenna and the third virtual reception antenna, it is possible to measure horizontal information (azimuth angle, etc.) of a target in a medium and long distance with excellent resolution.

As described above, the radar apparatus according to the present invention has the antenna array structure as shown in FIG. 5 and has the signal transmission/reception configuration as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 in the mid- to long-distance detection mode, thereby securing extended aperture performance and Horizontal information can be accurately measured.

9 is an equivalent state diagram of a transmission/reception antenna when vertical information is sensed in an antenna configuration according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

In the radar device according to the present embodiment, the code-divided signal is transmitted using the 1-1 transmission antenna (Tx0) and the 1-2 transmission antenna (Tx2), which are two transmission antennas spaced apart by a vertical distance B in the vertical direction. By simultaneously transmitting and using reflected signals received from a plurality of receiving antennas, vertical information of a target such as elevation angle can be obtained.

That is, in order to obtain vertical information of the target, the signal processing unit 120 is the same as in the mid- to long-range sensing mode, for a predetermined period within one detection period (0 ~ T), the 1-1 transmission antenna (Tx0) and the first -The transmission signal having the first code (Code A) and the transmission signal having the second code (Code B) are simultaneously transmitted by turning on the 2 transmission antenna (Tx2). Meanwhile, during the same detection period, all three reception antennas Rx0, Rx2, and Rx3 receive signals, and vertical information (height, etc.) of the object is obtained by analyzing the received reception signals.

9 shows an equivalent state diagram of the transmission/reception antenna when detecting such vertical information, based on the position of the 1-1 transmission antenna (Tx0) transmitting the transmission signal of the first code at the transmission end, but only the vertical position relationship For illustration, the horizontal position of the 1-2 transmission antenna (Tx2) that transmits the transmission signal of the second code is expressed as the horizontal position of the 1-1 transmission antenna.

As shown on the right side of FIG. 9, a total of three intrinsic receiving antennas (Rx0, Rx2, Rx3) and three virtual receiving antennas (Rx0', Rx2', Rx3') are formed at the receiving end, and a third intrinsic receiving antenna The (Rx3) and the first virtual reception antenna (Rx0') are exactly overlapped in the horizontal direction, but are spaced apart by a vertical distance B in the vertical direction.

That is, when the code-divided transmission signal is simultaneously transmitted by the 1-1 transmission antenna (Tx0) and the 1-2 transmission antenna (Tx2) to detect vertical information, the first reception antenna (Rx0) and the third reception antenna The antenna Rx2 and the third reception antenna Rx3, the first virtual reception antenna Rx0', the second virtual reception antenna Rx2', and the third virtual reception antenna Rx3' overlapped horizontally therewith are They are placed sequentially.

At this time, since the 1-1 transmission antenna (Tx0) and the 1-2 transmission antenna (Tx2) that transmit the code division transmission signal are spaced apart by a vertical distance B, the second transmission antenna (Tx0) that transmits the code division transmission signal The three receiving antennas Rx3 and the first virtual receiving antennas Rx0' are separated by a vertical distance B in the vertical direction.

Accordingly, a certain phase difference or amplitude difference occurs between the reception signals received in each reception channel or between the transmission signals and the reception signals for each channel due to the vertical distance separation.

Accordingly, by comparing the phase difference or magnitude difference of the signals for each reception channel, vertical information such as the height of the object can be obtained.

That is, according to the height of the object, the path of the signal received from the two receiving channels (e.g., the third receiving antenna and the first virtual receiving antenna) separated by a vertical distance B in the vertical direction in FIG. Etc.), and due to the difference, the phase or magnitude of the signal received in each receiving channel is different.

Accordingly, the signal processing unit 120 of the radar apparatus may obtain vertical information such as the height of the object by analyzing a difference in phase or magnitude of a signal received in both receiving channels.

On the other hand, as described in FIGS. 7 and 8, the same transmission/reception method is used to acquire horizontal information in the mid- to long-range sensing mode. Accordingly, in order to obtain horizontal information in the mid- to long-range sensing mode, phase correction according to the vertical separation of signals received from each receiving channel is performed in the equivalent antenna state as shown in FIG. 9, and then processing for obtaining horizontal information is performed. That is, from the signal received at the receiving end through signal transmission and reception as shown in FIG. 7, vertical information of the object is first obtained as shown in FIG. 9, and then the phase difference of the received signal according to the vertical separation is corrected, and then As described in FIG. 8, horizontal information on a medium-to-long-distance object may be obtained.

10 and 11 are a case for detecting horizontal information in the antenna configuration according to the present embodiment, a signal timing diagram in a near-field detection mode (FIG. 10) and an equivalent state diagram of a transmission/reception antenna in that case (FIG. 11). .

As shown in FIG. 10, in the radar apparatus according to the present embodiment, in the first detection mode, which is a short-range detection mode for detecting position information of a target in a short distance, the signal processing unit 120 is arranged in the middle of the three transmission antennas. The transmission signal is transmitted using the transmission antenna (Tx1), and the reflected signal is received from all four reception antennas (Rx0 to Rx3).

That is, as shown in Fig. 10, the transmission signal is transmitted by turning on the second transmission antenna (Tx1) for a certain period within one detection period (0 to T), and four reception antennas Rx0 to during the same detection period. Rx3 all receive signals (all four receiving antennas are ON).

The signal processing unit 120 compares and analyzes a received signal received from four antennas and four channels with a transmission signal transmitted from the second transmission antenna to obtain location information of a nearby object.

11 is an equivalent state diagram of an antenna in a short-range sensing mode, in which the opening of the transmitting end is set to one array antenna constituting the second transmission antenna Tx1, so that a transmission signal pattern with a relatively wide angle is made to have a short-range sensing range. Can be enlarged.

In addition, since the horizontal distance between each receiving antenna, that is, the horizontal distance A is 0.5λ or more, a grating lobe may occur. At this time, the distance between the second receiving antenna (Rx1) and the third receiving antenna (Rx2) By arranging at 0.5λ, angle information extracted from signals received from these two receiving antennas can be compared to eliminate angular ambiguity caused by the grating lobe.

Meanwhile, the signal processing unit 120 and the virtual reception antenna 130 included in the radar apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment as described above are a radar control device or some modules of an ECU that performs an object identification function by a radar. Can be implemented.

Such a radar control device or ECU may include a storage device such as a processor and a memory, and a computer program capable of performing a specific function, and the signal processing unit 120 and the virtual reception antenna 130 are each unique. It may be implemented as a software module capable of performing a function.

In the manner described above with reference to FIGS. 7 to 11, vertical information and horizontal information of an object can be obtained with high precision in both the medium and long-range sensing mode and the short-range sensing mode. Accordingly, it is possible to accurately measure vertical and horizontal information of a medium-long-range and short-range object without a physical change or additional device of a radar device, thereby maximizing the utility as a vehicle radar.

In the above, even if all the constituent elements constituting the embodiments of the present invention have been described as being combined into one or operating in combination, the present invention is not necessarily limited to these embodiments. That is, within the scope of the object of the present invention, all of the constituent elements may be selectively combined and operated in one or more. In addition, although all the components may be implemented as one independent hardware, a program module that performs some or all functions combined in one or more hardware by selectively combining some or all of the components. It may be implemented as a computer program having Codes and code segments constituting the computer program may be easily inferred by those skilled in the art of the present invention. Such a computer program is stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and is read and executed by a computer, thereby implementing an embodiment of the present invention. The storage medium of the computer program may include a magnetic recording medium, an optical recording medium, a carrier wave medium, and the like.

In addition, the terms such as "include", "consist of" or "have" described above mean that the corresponding component may be embedded unless otherwise stated, excluding other components It should not be construed as being able to further include other components. All terms, including technical or scientific terms, unless otherwise defined, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. Terms generally used, such as terms defined in the dictionary, should be interpreted as being consistent with the meaning in the context of the related technology, and are not interpreted in an ideal or excessively formal meaning unless explicitly defined in the present disclosure.

The description above and the accompanying drawings are merely illustrative of the technical idea of the present disclosure, and those of ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present disclosure pertains, combinations of configurations without departing from the essential characteristics of the present disclosure Various modifications and variations, such as separation, substitution and alteration, will be possible. Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed in the present disclosure are not intended to limit the technical idea of the present disclosure, but to describe, and the scope of the technical idea of the present disclosure is not limited by these embodiments. That is, as long as it is within the scope of the object of the present disclosure, one or more of the components may be selectively combined and operated. The scope of protection of the present disclosure should be interpreted by the following claims, and all technical ideas within the scope equivalent thereto should be construed as being included in the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims (14)

Two or more first transmission antennas installed in the rear or front side of the vehicle and having a plurality of array antennas spaced apart in a horizontal direction, and a second transmission antenna disposed between the two or more first transmission antennas and having one array antenna An antenna unit including a transmission antenna unit including a transmission antenna and a reception antenna unit including one or more reception antennas; And
In the first detection mode and the second detection mode, a signal is transmitted through the transmission antenna unit, a reflected signal in which the transmitted signal is reflected on an object is received through the reception antenna, and the received reflected signal is processed to perform the Signal processing unit that acquires information on an object
Including,
The radar device, characterized in that the two or more first transmission antennas are tilted toward a driving axis of the vehicle at a position in which the radar device is installed. The method of claim 1,
The receiving antenna unit includes a first receiving antenna, a second receiving antenna, a third receiving antenna, and a fourth receiving antenna that are sequentially spaced apart in the horizontal direction,
The radar device, characterized in that the first and fourth receiving antennas are spaced apart from the third receiving antenna by a first horizontal distance, respectively. The method of claim 2,
The radar device, characterized in that the two or more first transmission antennas are spaced apart from each other by a second horizontal distance equal to twice the first horizontal distance in the horizontal direction. The method of claim 3,
The radar device, characterized in that the second and third receiving antennas are spaced apart from each other by a distance (1/2λ) of a wavelength of a transmission signal in the horizontal direction. The method of claim 1,
The radar device, characterized in that the two or more first transmission antennas are spaced apart from each other by a first vertical distance in a direction perpendicular to the ground. The method of claim 2,
The first detection mode is a medium-long-range sensing mode, and in order to obtain information on an object in a medium-to-long range, the signal transmission/reception unit transmits a code-divided transmission signal from the two or more first transmission antennas in the first detection mode. , Radar device, characterized in that receiving a reflected signal from the first receiving antenna, the third receiving antenna, and the fourth receiving antenna. The method of claim 1,
The second sensing mode is a short-range sensing mode, and in order to obtain information on an object in a short distance, the signal transceiving unit transmits a transmission signal through the second transmission antenna in the second sensing mode, and is included in the receiving antenna unit. Radar device, characterized in that receiving the reflected signal from all the receiving antennas. Used for radar devices and installed in the rear or front side of the vehicle,
A transmission antenna unit including at least two first transmission antenna units having a plurality of array antennas spaced apart in a horizontal direction, and a second transmission antenna unit disposed between the at least two first transmission antennas and having one array antenna,
Receiving antenna unit including one or more receiving antennas
Including,
The two or more first transmission antennas, characterized in that tilted toward the driving axis of the vehicle at a position where the radar device is installed, the antenna device. The method of claim 8,
The receiving antenna unit includes a first receiving antenna, a second receiving antenna, a third receiving antenna, and a fourth receiving antenna that are sequentially spaced apart in the horizontal direction,
The antenna device, characterized in that the first and fourth receiving antennas are spaced apart from the third receiving antenna by a first horizontal distance, respectively. The method of claim 9,
The two or more first transmission antennas, characterized in that the spaced apart from each other by a second horizontal distance corresponding to twice the first horizontal distance in the horizontal direction, antenna device. The method of claim 10,
The antenna device, characterized in that the second and third receiving antennas are spaced apart from each other by a half distance (1/2λ) of a wavelength of a transmission signal in the horizontal direction. The method of claim 8,
The radar device, characterized in that the two or more first transmission antennas are spaced apart from each other by a first vertical distance in a direction perpendicular to the ground. The method of claim 9,
In a first detection mode for obtaining information on an object in a medium to long distance, the two or more first transmission antennas transmit a code-divided transmission signal, and the first reception antenna, the third reception antenna, and the fourth reception antenna Radar device, characterized in that receiving a reflected signal. The method of claim 8,
Radar, characterized in that in a second detection mode for acquiring information on a nearby object, the second transmission antenna transmits a transmission signal, and all reception antennas included in the reception antenna unit receive reflection signals. Device.

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